


The Ties That Hold Us Together

by black_rose4



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Avvar, F/M, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-06
Updated: 2016-07-06
Packaged: 2018-07-21 22:15:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7407211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/black_rose4/pseuds/black_rose4
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>This man she remembers. She remembers watching him point to her from across the clan fire, ask the thane if he may try his luck with her. She remembers watching the thane laugh and wish him luck, tells him he’ll need it. She had laughed to herself as he smirked and said he wouldn’t need luck, that the gods favoured him. It’s not the god’s favour you need, it’s hers. </i>
</p><p>A brief look into the life of Ana Perdotten of the Mountain Hold clan, and a general look into the life of the avvar.</p><p>A small multi-chapter project I've been working on, looking at avvar lore and writing a piece that holds a little truer to the information we have been give. Not an au. All ocs involved are original.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Kidnapping

She’s not sure what to do with herself tonight. She’s done this before, kept up the pretense of going about her regular business whilst in the back of her mind she’s waiting. Listening for the tell-tale crack of a twig underfoot or the creak of her door as it opens. But like every other time before, she struggles to know what to do with herself when really she is on high alert.

It defeats the object of the so-called ‘kidnapping’, she knows that, but then she’s always been very clear that she will not go with anyone without a fight. Defeat me in one-on-one combat, that had always been her deal.  _If they can beat me in a fight then I will go willingly with them_ , go quietly as she is ‘kidnapped’. Presuming they even make it to her of course. 

She opts to heat the kettle over the fire, boil herself some water and make some tea. It will calm her nerves, prepare her for her coming fight. At least she hopes so. She looks across the fire, over to the table where her blades lay.  _Just in case_ , not that she should against one man. She could easily defeat him without them; she knows this clan’s weaknesses. They rely too heavily on blades, on strength. Not enough on speed and agility. 

By the time she realises he has arrived, she has long since finished her tea and has settled on pretending to get some rest. She lays awake and alert, facing the wall of the hut, very aware of the person climbing in her window.  _Good choice. Avoids the creaky door._

This is the furthest anyone has made it in quite some time. One was caught by the clan. The first time they let him off with nothing but a scolding and a few harsh words telling him to do better next time. There was no next time, simply dinner for the clan’s hold-beast. The second had done better. He made the mistake of using the front door, but he did make it to her. He barely left with his organs inside his body and painted her floor a lovely shade of red. She gave him his life in return for him leaving her alone. She has not seen him since. 

_This_  man she remembers. She remembers watching him point to her from across the clan fire, ask the thane if he may try his luck with her. She remembers watching the thane laugh and wish him luck, tells him he’ll need it. She had laughed to herself as he smirked and said he wouldn’t need luck, that the gods favoured him.  _It’s not the god’s favour you need, it’s hers._

“I know you’re awake.” 

“I am.” She smiles to herself and rolls over, faces her ‘kidnapper’. She sits up, throws her legs off the edge of the bed. Fur tickles the soles of her feet as she places them flat on the rug beside her bed. “So, what’re you gonna do now? I assume you have a plan.”

He nods. “We’ll fight. If I win, you’ll come back with me.  _Quietly_.” 

“You assume I know how to be quiet.” She smirks and he catches her meaning. His lips curl into a similar smirk at that remark. 

With a light sigh, she stands. “Right then, down to business.” She dusts her hands as she continues. “I’ll leave my blades on the side for ya. Keep it a fair fight.” 

Were it not the middle of the night she knows his laugh would be louder right now. But he’s supposed to not draw the attention of the clan. He shrugs and unsheathes his blades, lets them glint for show in the light of her small fire before coming for her. He is a good head taller than her, at least, and built big up top. Broad shoulders and big arms. She rolls her eyes.  _Your typical hunter. All brawn. Though clearly some brain._

He fights as she expects him to. Attacks hard, using his size to his advantage. She uses it against him, ducking under each attack, blocking when he gets too close. Then he does something she does not expect. He changes how he fights. Adapts to her fighting style. He stays lower than before, leaving her less room to duck his swings. She continues to block, but he hits harder.  _He was simply toying with me._

Her leg hooking his out from under him catches him off guard. She dives at him, using her body weight and the element of surprise to knock him to the ground. She knows she has little time before he recollects himself, uses his size to overpower her again. But he’s still being sloppy. He’s slow to push her off, giving her time to punch at his wrist again and again, make him drop his blade. She goes for the other but he pushes her off before she can and she growls in frustration. 

He grins, wide and feral. “They weren’t exaggerating about you, were they?” 

She simply shakes her head in reply and readies herself to go again. 

She ups her attack now. Tries to drive him towards the fire in the middle of the room, keep him backed up against it while she hits him hard. Punch after punch connects, but he barely flinches. He is as determined as she is to do well and she knows it.  _Good. It’s been too long since someone could stand up to me._

To her shame, she misses the fist that connects with her face. She hears a crack and the taste of copper fills her mouth, warm and fluid. It trickles down from her nose and she automatically licks at it. 

A foot to the chest floors her and suddenly his weight is on top of her, large and looming. He pins her down, throws his other blade away as he holds her wrists. 

“You fight well.” 

She grins, teeth bared and bloody, before spitting blood to the side. “So do you. It’s been a while since I’ve had a man top me. I missed it.” 

He barks a laugh. “Well you can start getting used to it. Come on, time to go Bear Hold. I won, now you must follow through with the agreement. Let me finish the kidnapping.” 

She struggles against his wrists, motioning as best as she can for him to get off to her. He does as she asks, to her surprise, and offers her a hand to help her stand. She keeps hold of it once stood. “A deal is a deal. Let’s go.” She pauses then quickly adds, “And I have a name you know,  _Mountain Hold_. I’d prefer if you used it. Since I am to be your wife.”

Another bark of a laugh. “Fine  _Ana_ , let’s go.” 


	2. The Victor

He wears a broad smile as he strolls through the clan’s gates that morning, ‘prisoner’ in tow. “Bear hold!” He cups his hands and shouts. It’s still early, but he doesn’t care. He’s here to boast. “Bear hold! Rise and shine! I have something of yours!” 

Slowly the village stirs into life. Doors open and curtains are pulled back to reveal curious clan members, sleep still in their eyes and clouding their vision. Their blurred gaze follows him as he strolls through the hold. A shout passes from hut to hut, a call to the thane, to alert her. He takes his time, gives them all time to stir. He wants an audience. 

“Gert O Mountain Hold. You do realise you were supposed to come  _last night_ , not at sun up? I’ve gotta say, I expected better from one of Mountain Hold’s supposed  _best_  hunters.” Thane Split-Stone is waiting for him outside of her hut, half-dressed but wearing an amusing look on her face. 

It only brightens when she sees who is following Gert towards her hut. “By the Lady, do my eyes play tricks on me?” She laughs, loud and hearty. “You look dreadful. Is that a broken nose Ana?” 

The woman in question joins Gert’s side and scowls up at him. The motion wrinkles her nose, causes a pain which makes her hiss. “And a black eye to match. Not afraid to throw a punch, that one, I’ll give him that.” 

She notices the thane looking at her expectantly. Waiting for her to say something, besides smalltalk. She waits a moment for a few more of the clan to gather round before speaking. She wants an audience. “Jonna, he did as tasked to him. He entered my hut last night, bested me in combat, broke my fucking nose, then I went with him as per the agreement to his nearby camp. And now I’ll follow through with the rest of the arrangement and marry him. On my honour, I am a woman of my word.” 

“As it should be. Then it is settled. I shall meet with Andor Storm-Blood to arrange the union.” She smiles and nods at Ana, then turns to Gert. “You are welcome in the clan until it is time for you both to return to Mountain Hold. Ana, he will stay in your hut for the duration. I assume you don’t need to be shown the way…”

He grins and laughs. “I remember where it is. Ana, after you.” He motions for her to lead the way, hanging back a second to nod goodbye and his thanks to the thane. 

He watches her walk as he follows after her, a smug grin on his face.


	3. The Agreement

“You have to hunt for and prepare the feast.”

Thane Split-Stone scoffs. “What? Are you gonna hunt with us then? Because that’s a lot of people to feed. Two holds? Our hunters are good, but that’s a lot of beasts to kill.” Her expression remains hard, brow furrowed and jaw set. She is not backing down on this matter. “If your hunters join mine, we will cook the feast. But if not, well then people are going to be hungry. And we can’t have that, especially not when the Mountain Father has blessed us with such a  _bountiful_  hunting season.”

He says nothing for a moment. She grins; he knows she’s right. 

“Fine. I’ll send my best hunters out with yours to hunt. You can handle the rest of the food preparation, I assume.” She nods and Thane Storm-Blood grins. “Excellent. That’s that settled. So, onto the matter of gifts…”

* * *

“Can you believe this?” 

Ana pauses, nug meat between her teeth, mid-bite. She finishes biting down and starts chewing before replying, mouth full. “What?”

“It feels  _strange_ , being bartered for.”

She laughs heartily, head thrown back and flecks of food flying from her mouth. Ana wipes with the back of her hand once she’s done. “You sound like you’ve never been married before.  _This_  is nothing. This is actually rather amicable. My last marriage took  _far_  longer to arrange. His thane claimed he needed more peace offerings because our marriage wasn’t seen favourably by the gods and so more gifts were needed to make it an amicable agreement for him. Jonna thought he was trying to take advantage of her. She calmly told him to reconsider speaking for the gods when she’d seen  _none_  of the omens he claimed to see, then threatened to withdraw her promise of aid should their clan need it - which they would, given their small size and large ambitions. Suddenly the gods quietened down then. Funny, isn’t it?”

It wasn’t the first time she’d seen thanes ask for more than their fair share. She’s seen holds burn to the ground after their call for help went unheard, all thanks to their own foolish pride, scorning their allies and cutting previous ties. She’s seen thanes be laughed out of the hold for ridiculous demands which would never be met by any clan with enough self-respect for themselves - so most clans, in her experience. And she has seen old clan members forgetting where their loyalties now lie, pleading for mercy whilst faced with people they once called family, begging them for their life. 

She shudders at the thought. 

But then, she has also seen agreements work perfectly. She’s fought in many a battle to help defend a neighbouring hold. Fought in many a battle to attack those who would do wrong to their brethren. And she’s eaten at many a feast to celebrate the peace between clans and the gods’ blessings upon them this season. 

She’s thankful this is a peaceful occasion. 

“Why did you marry him then?”

“He wasn’t bad, just his thane. We actually got on rather well, even if our marriage was only two summers long.” Gert shoots her a curious look, wondering if he should give his condolences for her loss or laugh. She explains, “He was all thumbs, terrible with the knots. It was a good marriage, but not one favoured to last.”

Gert nods, smiling to himself. That is his next test of skill. Dexterity and speed. Work the fiddly little knots as fast as possible before the hymn ends. His gaze lingers on her face.  _I’d best get practising my knot-untying. For her._

“I’m sure ours will be better. I’ve been told I’m good with my fingers. Those knots should be no problem.” He grins and watches as a faint blush warms Ana’s cheeks and neck. A memory stirs: that same blush she wears now, skin bare and warmed by firelight, soft and supple against his. Her cries of pleasure, sweet music to his ears, greater than any hymn he could ever sing to the gods.  _She knows just how good I am with my fingers._

“You best make sure to practise. I plan on keeping ahold of you for as long as I’m able.” She grins, cheeks still flushed, dimples forming in her cheeks from smiling so hard. “Unless you do something stupid, then I’m leaving your fate to the Lady. She can punish you for me instead.” 

He feigns injury, places his hand over his heart. “You wound me. I am  _never_  stupid.” She shoots him a  _look_  and he quickly adds, “At least never on purpose.” 

* * *

“So, that’s it then? Everything is settled?”

Thane Split-Stone scratches her chin. “I believe so, yes. This was…pleasantly efficient. I must say, it’s a nice change Andor. Why do we not marry more of our clan members off to each other?”

The other thane simply laughs. “Because your fighters are too good. We can’t get into your hold. Gert’s our first in over three summers to  _actually_ succeed.”

“Well then,” she replies, “you’d best start training them better, hadn’t you?”


	4. The Wedding

_One_. 

The first knot is the hardest. They are tight and difficult to undo. Ana had joked with him that she would tie them loose for him, make it easier for him to undo as many of them as he could before she stopped singing. He had smiled at that, placed a kiss on her forehead. He can see himself being happy with her. He wants this. He wants to undo as many knots as he can. For her. For them. 

 _Two_. 

His heart had sunk as he’d seen the officiate tie the knots. He’d seen the look on Ana’s face too, mirroring his own. Either she had forgotten she would not be doing this - unlikely since this was not her first time marrying - or she had simply been trying to keep his spirits raised in the run up to their union. They had quickly sunk. 

 _Three_. 

They seem to get easier as he goes on. He gets into a rhythm, one aided by her voice. Her song is slow and steady, keeping time with the beat of the drum in the background. He blocks it out, focuses instead on her voice. Thinks only of her as he works the knots free. 

 _Four_. 

She sings loud and clear as she recalls the words. She has sung them before, still remembers them from the last time. This time he is faster, already has more knots undone than her previous husband had. She smiles as she sings, glad that the gods have favoured her so fondly this time. They have been kind to her and she is grateful for their blessing. 

 _Five_. 

She still has another two verses to sing. His hands have been swift, as swift as he had been that night he entered her hut. She remembers that night fondly. The black around her eye has gone now and her nose is better, though bears a new scar and dent from the damage. A fond reminder. She has since left him with a new mark, many of them in fact. Dark bruises which decorate his neck, his collarbone. They have mostly faded now. She will leave new ones in their place once the ceremony is done and they consummate their union. He will leave similar ones on her as well. A pleasant shiver runs through her at the thought. 

 _Six_. 

One more verse. One more offering to the gods. She prays to the Lady of the Skies. A breeze runs through her hair, trickles over her skin. It is light, ticklish, pleasant. She smiles. A sign from the Lady herself. A blessing. 

 _Seven_. 

His pace quickens as he realises her song is almost through. He has already done so well, but he can do more. He knows he can. He hopes he can. His fingers are sloppy now, fumbling as he tries to make them work faster. They can only perform so well. He is frustrated at himself, but he bites his cheek, tries to stay focused until the end. He is close now. 

 _Eight_. 

He manages one more as she closes her hymn. She is smiling as she finishes the last line, bright and beautiful. He mirrors it with one just as broad. The rope is taken from Gert’s hands and Ana’s hand is placed in his. The officiate tells them it is done. The gods have given them their blessing. 

_They are now each other’s._


	5. The Oath

“Have you heard yet?” 

Ana looks up from her sword, still bloody from her last hunt. It is half-clean now, but a blade this size takes a lot of care to maintain, so her process is slow but careful. She takes great pride in her work. 

She shakes her head. “No. Heard what?”

“We’re to join with the Bear Hold tomorrow night. Their attacks have gotten worse and they’ve lost too many fighters. Thane Jonna just left, she asked Thane Andor for our help.” 

If she had heard that news a few years ago, Ana would’ve packed up as quickly as possible and made straight for the hold. But she doesn’t now. She couldn’t, even if she wanted to. They are not her clan anymore, Mountain Hold is. Though it does not ease the panic that creeps up as she wonders who they have lost, who could be injured. She hopes her family is okay. 

Ana nods and returns to her sword, pulls her gaze away from her friend. “Thanks for letting me know, Lotte. Best finish this before we head out then. Does Gert know yet or not?”

Her friend nods. “He was nearby when she came in, as was I. He asked me to tell you while he helps prepare supper.” 

Another nod of understanding. She busies herself back in her sword, tries to focus on that and that alone. If she thinks too much the panic will spread, will let the fear and worry grow and she can’t have that. 

A hand touches her shoulder, draws her attention again. Lotte is crouched beside her, her expression soft and clear with concern. She squeezes her shoulder. “They’ll be fine Ana. You know how good their fighters are.”

“And yet they still took losses.” She shakes her head, wills it away. Ana mutters to herself as she tries once again to lose herself in her work. “I’m sorry, I just - the clan has struggled to get people into our hold for  _years_ and now they’re being attacked. I’m worried.”

Another squeeze of her shoulder and Ana looks up. Lotte’s hand moves and she grips her forearm. A kind gesture. “Hey, that’s why the clan’s gonna go fight with them. We swore an oath to come to their aid when they needed it and that’s what we’re gonna do. Okay?” 

Ana returns the gesture, grips Lotte’s forearm as well. “Okay.”

* * *

It feels good to be back in her old hold again, even if the circumstances that have brought her here are less than ideal. They have time until sundown, when the attack will likely begin. A few hours, maybe less, but it is enough time to catch up with old faces. 

“Ana.” Thane Split-Stone’s smile is broad and beaming when she greets her, despite their current situation. “It has been too long. You look well.”

She returns her smile, albeit weaker. They greet each other with a hand to the forearm, grip strong and firm. “Far too long. You look well too, all things considered.” 

Jonna barks a laugh. “Do I? If so, it’s only because the paint I’m wearing on my face hides the stress. I’ve not slept well in over a week. Whatever I have done to offend the gods, I am paying for it at night, it would seem. Ahh well, I have suffered worse than a lack of sleep. I can endure this. ”

They catch up as they wait for the sun to sink below the mountaintops. She has missed this place. Missed the people. She loves her new clan, but after spending most of her life in Bear Hold it is hard not to miss them. And being here brings all that to the surface again. It will be hard to return home once the fight is through and their oath is fulfilled. 

When the fight finally comes, they are not prepared for the growth in numbers. They try to claim as many as they can by sheer force, but a greater one meets theirs, a united front between two allies. The bear and the mountain fighting back against the red-lion. 

While the bear and the mountain bleed, it is a mild cut compared to the gash opened up in the red-lion’s belly. It bleeds out over the dirt, stains it as red as its name. It barely manages to crawl out with its tail between its legs. Defeated. 

When the calm returns, the two clans lick their wounds. The dead are gathered, ready to begin preparations to send them to the Lady of the Skies in the morrow. But first they must sleep, regain their strength. All are weary, worn out. Beds are made where possible, offered to the Mountain Hold as a small token of thanks. “It’s the least we can do right now.” 

Ana finds herself staring up at the roof of the feast hall, adrenaline still working its way through her veins, causing sleep to elude her. She rests her head on her husband’s chest, his arm loose around her shoulders. The sound of his heart beating pulses under her ear and she listens, counts each beat to try and lull her to sleep. Still sleep eludes her. 

Giving up, she sighs and shuffles closer. At least he is here with her.  _She is happy with him._

“I know you’re awake.”

She smiles to herself, a feeling of familiarity washing over her. “I am.” She looks up at him, chin digging into his chest. “So what?” 

“You’ll still be here when you wake, love. Sleep.” He pulls her up into a kiss, lingers a moment as they part. He smiles down at his wife, watches as she relents and settles back against his chest. Closes her eyes. He is still amazed at how beautiful she looks, can’t get enough of her. He feels blessed just being around her. He sends a prayer to the gods, thanks them once again, just like he does every day he is with her. 

Gert places one more kiss on the top of her head before laying his head back down and closing his eyes. 

_He is happy with her._


End file.
